News
Photo of the Day: Chinese Poultry Plant Explodes
June 3, 2013 9:33 am | CommentsA water canon hoses down the roof of a poultry processing plant after a major fire which appeared to have been sparked by three early-morning explosions in northeast China's Jilin province's Mishazi township on Monday, June 3, 2013. The massive fire broke out at the poultry plant early Monday, trapping workers inside a cluttered slaughterhouse and killing over a hundred people, reports and officials said.
China’s Entrepreneurs Expand Global Presence
May 31, 2013 12:42 pm | by JOE McDONALD,AP Business Writer | CommentsThe force behind China's biggest takeover of an American company is a 71-year-old meat-packing entrepreneur dubbed "China's Chief Butcher" by the press. The $4.7 billion bid for Smithfield Foods by Wan Long, chairman of Shuanghui International, is another big step up for Chinese entrepreneurs who are emerging from the shadow of state-owned corporate giants and expanding on the global stage.
Japan Suspends Some U.S. Imports After Modified Wheat Discovery
May 31, 2013 12:39 pm | by MARY CLARE JALONICK and NIGEL DUARA,Associated Press | CommentsJapan has suspended some imports of U.S. wheat after a genetically engineered version of the grain was found on a U.S. farm. The Agriculture Department announced the discovery of the modified wheat on Wednesday. No genetically engineered wheat has been approved for U.S. farming.
New Belgium Delays North Carolina Plant
May 31, 2013 12:37 pm | CommentsA Colorado brewing company has delayed plans to open a plant in western North Carolina. New Belgium Brewing Co. says added capacity in Colorado means the company does not need the brewery in Asheville as soon as expected. The craft brewer says it will delay construction in North Carolina by eight months.
China: Baby Formula Safety Affects Nation’s Future
May 31, 2013 12:36 pm | CommentsChinese Premier Li Keqiang has vowed to tighten the monitoring of production of milk powder for babies and crack down on safety violators, saying the quality of infant formula affects the nation's future. Li's comments appeared aimed at trying to restore public confidence in China's dairy industry, which has been mired in product safety and image problems.
McCormick Buys Chinese Bouillon Maker for $147M
May 31, 2013 12:34 pm | CommentsMcCormick & Co. has completed its purchase of China's Wuhan Asia-Pacific Condiments Co. for about $147 million. Privately held Wuhan manufactures and markets DaQiao and ChuShiLe brand bouillon products, which McCormick said Friday will complement its current lineup of spices, seasoning blends and sauces for the Chinese market. McCormick funded deal with a combination of cash and debt.
Daily Sound Bite: Michigan Food Inspections Lagging
May 31, 2013 12:17 pm | CommentsAfter an audit found that a Michigan food safety inspection agency took too long to perform inspections, state regulators are attempting to explain the delay. The Governor's administration acknowledges the delays but maintains that no laws were broken.
Consumer Trends: The 'Cool' Side of Refrigerated Dairy
May 31, 2013 12:00 pm | CommentsThe National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA) has partnered with chef and culinary expert, Aida Mollenkamp, to celebrate June Dairy Month and the creative culinary possibilities that come from foods in the refrigerated dairy aisle.
Food Safety Exchange Scheduled for June 11-12
May 31, 2013 9:52 am | CommentsMETTLER TOLEDO will sponsor the second annual Food Safety Exchange on June 111h and 12th, 2013 at the Hilton Plaza Chicago/Indian Lakes Resort in Bloomingdale, Illinois. This two-day educational forum will bring together professionals in the food industry to learn more about the current food safety regulatory environment.
McDonald’s CEO Goes on a ‘McDiet’
May 31, 2013 9:46 am | by CANDICE CHOI,AP Food Industry Writer | CommentsMcDonald Corp.'s CEO Don Thompson revealed at an analyst conference this week that he shed about 20 pounds in the past year by getting his "butt up" and "working out again." But he said he hasn't changed his habit of eating at McDonald's "every, single day."
Higher Demand for Poultry Boosts Sanderson Farms 2Q Profit
May 31, 2013 9:43 am | CommentsSanderson Farms Inc. said Thursday that its fiscal second-quarter net income rose 2 percent thanks to higher demand for poultry products. Its performance topped Wall Street's view. Shares climbed in premarket trading. The Laurel, Miss. company earned $24.4 million, or $1.06 per share, for the three months ended April 30. That's up from $23.9 million, or $1.04 per share, in the prior-year period.
EU Wants To Test U.S. Wheat After GM Find
May 31, 2013 9:40 am | CommentsThe European Union is urging its 27 member states to test wheat shipments from the United States after unauthorized genetically modified grains were found in Japan. Tokyo on Thursday halted imports of certain types of wheat from the U.S. following the discovery of an experimental strain that was tested by Monsanto but never approved.
Audit: Michigan Fails To Inspect Food Companies on Time
May 31, 2013 9:38 am | by DAVID EGGERT,Associated Press | CommentsA Michigan agency took too long to check dairies, groceries and food-processing plants for safety — in some cases waiting a dozen years to conduct inspections that the state wants done every six, 12 or 18 months, according to an audit released Thursday.
Photo of the Day: Selling France's Presidential Wine
May 31, 2013 9:35 am | CommentsFrench President Francois Hollande’s palace has decided to dive into its wine cellar and sell some of its treasures, to raise money and replenish its collection with more modest vintages. About 1,200 bottles, a tenth of the Elysee’s wine collection, are to be sold at Drouot auction house in Paris on Thursday and Friday.
Dept. of Commerce: Importers Must Offset Shrimp Subsidies
May 30, 2013 12:35 pm | by JANET McCONNAUGHEY,Associated Press | CommentsShrimp subsidies in five nations appear to be undercutting U.S. prices and importers must pay bonds up to nearly 63 percent to offset the subsidies, the U.S. Department of Commerce said Wednesday. The order affects frozen warm-water shrimp from China, India, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam.
New England Farmers Want Hearing on Food Safety Rules
May 30, 2013 12:33 pm | by HOLLY RAMER,Associated Press | CommentsLed by two New Hampshire Democrats — Sen. Jeanne Shaheen and Rep. Annie Kuster — members of Congress from each of the six New England states have written to Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Margaret Hamburg asking for a public hearing on two proposed rules implementing the 2011 Food Safety and Modernization Act.
Smithfield Deal Highlights U.S.-China Food Trade
May 30, 2013 12:32 pm | by By STEPHANIE STROM, New York Times News Service | CommentsA growing amount of food commonly consumed by Americans — ranging from canned tuna and mandarin oranges to fresh mushrooms and apple juice — is now being imported from China. By the end of last year, the United States imported 4.1 billion pounds of food products from China, according to the Agriculture Department.
5 Sickened by Raw Milk in Pennsylvania
May 30, 2013 12:29 pm | CommentsThe Allegheny County Health Department is advising consumers to discard raw milk sold under the label "The Family Cow" after it confirmed five cases of infection in people who consumed the product. The health department says in a Wednesday release that the milk was produced by "Your Family Farmer" in Chambersburg and that tests confirmed Campylobacter contamination.
Nestle To Boost Study of Food Infections
May 30, 2013 12:28 pm | CommentsNestle SA says it is boosting research to tackle the threat of ever-stronger strains of bacteria and germs in food manufacturing. The Vevey, Switzerland-based company says it will initially boost research into several types of food-borne bacteria — particularly a dangerous strain of bacterium E. coli that infects people and pumps out a poison called Shiga toxin — and viruses Norovirus and Hepatitis A.
Daily Sound Bite: Unapproved GMO Wheat Found in Field
May 30, 2013 12:24 pm | CommentsConcerns about the global viability of GMO wheat killed Monsanto tests in 2005, at which time most industry observers assumed the production of such crops had been put to rest. But this week tests confirmed an unusually resilient wheat crop found in an Oregon field was a genetically modified.
